It’s winter here – or it sure feels like winter to us. The temperature hovers in the 30s and 40s, but there is this wind … and we bundle up in hats, scarves and gloves every time we go out. Maybe we’re over-doing it. One of the neighbors was making fun of us the other day.We keep going back to the North side of the Confluence - the Migratory Bird Sanctuary - where the Missouri River meets the Mississippi River. John says that we must be the only people who keep coming back. There are never very many people there. But there is a road there that goes right to the Confluence. It has been gated 4 and a half miles back, since we have been here. The sign says that it is closed due to flooding. It hasn’t really rained here in a while and I wanted to check one more time to see if it was open, but it wasn’t. We hiked around the marshy wetlands. There were a lot of geese and ducks.
Bird's nest
Meanwhile John's job, building a SO2 (sulphur dioxide) scrubber at the Sioux coal power plant, is ending due to a lack of funds. Something about bonds, and the environmental standard that made it a financially wise thing to do was lifted (by Bush?). We don’t know exactly when the job will end, but we have given our notice to the landlord. The rent is paid through November; we could be heading back to Florida any day.
Gas at our critter gas station was $1.95 a gallon today.
Gas at our critter gas station was $1.95 a gallon today.
Update: The sign closer so that you can see the price!
5 comments:
Here it is about 50 F and that is rather good for this time of year. I wore my new winter jacket one day when it was colder than that (40 F), but decided it was still too warm. It has to get below freezing to make it worthwhile.
We are pleased to see our gas prices below $1/litre! Considering the current exchange rate, that's in the neighbourhood of $3/gallon.
Sorry to hear you will be moving again. You seem to have gotten a great deal out of your stay in the Center of America. Just think, you'll be returning to a blue state! ;)
I think that we are gradually acclimating, Barbara. It was 32 here this morning, and that feels good to me.
I have, indeed, loved this little interlude into the Center of America. I would have never believed that land that is so "ordinary" could be so breathtakingly awesome and filled with seemingly endless interests and beauty. I think that there is a lesson in there for me somewhere.
And yes, Florida is finally BLUE again! Yeah! Actually, our county (Palm Beach) has always been overwhelmingly blue. I think it is the New York Jewish snowbirds that are so liberal and progressive. They have been joining us radical Catholics (a much smaller group) for years as we protest war and injustice.
I'll be glad to see my FL friends again, but the economic uncertainty of things is a bit scary.
Some fellow said we would get our first snowfall next week. The sky looks like snow is coming. However, today, the clothes will be hung out on the line, maybe for the last time this year.
I hope things only look negative and that the economy will perk up in the new year.
You must live in a wonderful place, Barbara, that you can hang your wash out! I'm sure that everything will work out - things always have a way of falling into place for us, even though there are times of uncertainty. I hope to learn to trust this more.
Besides, uncertainty goes with all the adventure of gypsy-life.
We're now down to the single digits Celsius. That means around 32 F. My old winter coat did not seem quite warm enough today.
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